Ohtani started as the 2nd-designated hitter in an away game against the Chicago White Sox on the 16th (Korean time), but ended up with no hits in 5 at-bats.
He hit just two home runs in September. It has been quiet since he hit his 44th home run against Houston on the 11th. His batting average is only 10.15 pennies and 8 li. A home run comes only when there is a hit, but I can’t hit it properly.
His batting average for the past month has been only 10.6-5-r. He struck out 31 times in 102 at-bats. It means being deceived by the other person’s inducements. There is an opinion that competitors are chasing, overtaking, and psychologically being pursued in a sluggish environment.
Angels manager Joe Madden said, “The ball goes out with the bat. When you’re in a slump, you have to attack the ball that comes into the strike zone you set. Also, you have to hit it in the center direction.”
The reasons for Ohtani’s sluggishness are that he was hit by an opponent’s ball on August 29 with his right hand and on the 4th he threw 117 balls, the most in his history. There is also talk of a decline in stamina, both as a pitcher and a hitter.
Madden blames Ohtani’s recent extreme pull-ups. Ohtani’s rate of batted balls pulled was 41.5% in April, rising to 51.9% in June and 66.7% in August. Most of the recent home runs have been pulled.
If he wins 10 as a pitcher, he will set a record of double-digit win-double-digit homer after 103 years after Babe Ruth’s 13-11 home run in 1918. have.
Since Ohtani is receiving a lot of attention and popularity to the extent that he was selected as one of the 100 most influential people in the world announced by the current weekly magazine ‘Times’, there is a lot of controversy over his sluggish hitting.
In the end, the main character who has to shake off this slump is also coming. Ohtani will try again on the 18th for 10 wins against the Oakland Athletics. If you set a record by winning 10 games, you may be able to focus on hitting more lightly. Correspondent Kwon In-ha indyk@sportschosun.com
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